The Magic goes away
by Earl Colby Pottinger
Summary: The girls find themselves in the real world where violence hurts.
1. The Magic goes away

**The Magic goes away**

Disclaimers:

The title is really the property of Larry Niven.

The Demon X(A/N)th is the property of Piers Anthony.

All characters contained within this piece of writing belong to Ken Akamatsu, and this piece is written purely for enjoyment. No gains financial or otherwise have been made through the publishing of this fanfic.

* * *

><p>What happens if Naru's Atomic Punch is no longer atomic?<p>

What happens if Su's hardware has to follow the real laws of physics?

What happens when Motoko's sword skills act the very same way as every other skilled sword-master does?

What happens if Mutsumi stop fainting all the time?

Moreover, what happens if Keitaro Urashima is no longer immortal?

* * *

><p>Deep underground in his favourite lair, floating in the back of his mind, the Demon X(AN)th slowly was coming to the conclusion that his latest discomfort was caused because he was missing something. A certain something that should always be present as it was a piece of magical protection that should always be nearby looking out for danger to the Demon as he thought quietly in his refuge undisturbed.

In a short time, a sub-mind of the demon was created and it launched a questing probe of magical energy that danced around the Demon X(A/N)th, seeking out the missing protective ward. Further and further the magical probes searched for its target, and finally after a long time the probing found its goal and reported back to its creator/master.

"Japan! Why so far", the sub-mind was surprised. It probed some more to find the reasons why before reporting to the demon's over-mind. There it found an annex situated on the intersection of multiple Chi-lines. The power of the annex was limited, but to fulfill promises made on its grounds thru the innocent hearts of multiple of children it had enough ability/drive to seduce/modify/corrupt (there are no proper words in the English language to explain the magical interactions that had taken place) the demon's warding spell to extend its power to said children. Nevertheless, as always there was a price to be paid, and one child instead of being protected found itself severely weaken in health.

Quickly, the sub-mind released this info to the demon's over-mind, and as soon as the thought flowed into the demon's consciousness, the demon's desire flowed back to its sub-mind ... 'RETURN IT NOW'.

And as fast as the thought was expressed the magic ward was pulled back from a simple hot springs hinata in Japan, and unknown to the young residents presently sleeping there, their lives were about to under-go major changes.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Early Morning on the roof deck:<span>**

As always, Motoko was up before almost everyone else to practise her swordsmanship. However, today it felt different; it was harder for some reason. The movements were the same, the precision of her stokes as well. Nevertheless, aside from practising her forms Motoko like to treat any falling leaves as surprise tests inside the forms practise. Usually it took a just a quick effortless swipe of her bokken to slice a leaf in half. But not today, instead she was finding that if she did not concentrate on channeling her Chi into the wooden blade any leaf tended to be batted aside instead of being divided in two.

Even the handling of the bokken felt different, normally swinging the wooden blade was effortless no matter how long she practised. Today the sword seemed to grow steadily heavier the more she worked out.

"It is almost like my first years of learning the sword." Motoko thought to herself. "Well, not as bad, by now I would have been drenched in sweat and aching in every muscle. Still I am really feeling this workout, more than I ever had in a long time." she noted.

As she left the roof to prepare for breakfast, Motoko was lost in thought about what made today's workout so different from previous ones.

* * *

><p><strong><span>In the kitchen below:<span>**

At the same time below in the kitchen Shinobu's knifes continued to move with their usual speed and skill. Quickly she prepared breakfast, well aware of the two eating machines Su and Sarah that would clear a table in seconds if not held back.

With them in mind, she already had started on individual plates for the other residents to ensure all would have a proper meal to be presented to them. But one plate in particular received as much loving care as all the other plates combined.

Just the thought of a certain person eating this meal sent shivers down her spine, and she knew that any praises given would cause her to blush all over, and still she poured her love into the creation of that meal.

* * *

><p><strong><span>In Naru's bedroom:<span>**

Naru awoke from a dream that she refused to even admit to herself represented her own internal desires. Glancing at her Liddo doll that guarded the entrance to the manager's room, she confirmed to herself that the dream was only a dream, that what she remembered of it had not really happened.

"It's all that baka's fault!" Naru fumed to herself as she prepared to leave for breakfast. "Baka!" she exclaimed to herself once more as she gave the doorway a light punch as she left her bedroom.

PAIN ... PAIN ... Naru grasped her fist in surprise with her other hand, massaging it she could tell nothing was really damaged but she had not felt pain like this in years.

"I don't know how, but I am sure it is Keitaro's fault somehow." she had to blame someone who was not herself. She continued her trip downstairs to prepare herself before going to the dining area while all the time rubbing her knuckles. They were still smarting a-lot.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Somewhere in a small jungle:<span>**

Su awoke to a dark forest-scape.

"The reactor must be down." she said to herself while leaping down to a control panel, even in the dark she knew where everything she had built was located. A quick look (the control panel is self-lite) confirmed the nuclear plant was dead as a doornail. Repeated attempts to restart it were all met with failure; even the stand-by nuke was equally as dead.

"I'm getting hungry." Su admitted to herself as a growl from her stomach rumbled loudly.

"Let's try the stand-by-stand-by batteries." she said, wanting to get something to eat. Su engaged a massive power switch that in turn leads to an amazing large array of batteries buried beneath the Hinata. An array of batteries so large that if any of the other residents had seen them they would have been stunned that Su could sneak so many units in without anyone noticing.

Lights once more blazed down on a jungle that needed the raw energy to survive.

"Well, I now have two weeks to find out what going on." Su pondered about her unresponsive nukes. Her stomach growled again.

"I hope there is banana-rice today." she hoped as she too headed for the washroom and then breakfast.

* * *

><p>Sarah had woken in time to intercept Su in the wash area. She could not help but notice how quiet Su was this morning; however, she just took this as an opportunity to fill in the quiet with her own words and plans.<p>

* * *

><p>Mitsune awoke to her usual hangover. Grabbing a-hair-of-the-dog that bite her, she headed first to the washroom to wash the gunk out of her eyes and then off to breakfast.<p>

* * *

><p><strong><span>An apartment above the teahouse:<span>**

Mutsumi awoke refreshed and feeling better than she had in years. In-fact she found herself full of energy and thinking very clearly. Schoolwork, what she needed to do on her part-time job, her future life plans, Keitaro. Keitaro!

"Clearly, aside from Shinobu-chan (and she is too young) I am the only one who has Kei-kun's best interests in my heart. He is wasted on those other girls, time for me to properly enter the game and win." Mutsumi smiled to herself as she looked into the mirror applying light touches of make-up and adjusted her blouse just right.

"But what to do about Naru-san?" she wondered not realizing how much healthier she was and how much weaker Naru's punches had become.

Mutsumi also left to go to the Hinata for breakfast.


	2. Final Impact

**Final Impact**

Disclaimers:

The title is really the property of John Birmingham.

All characters contained within this piece of writing belong to Ken Akamatsu, and this piece has been written purely for enjoyment. No gains financial or otherwise have been made through the publishing of this fanfic.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Morning in the dining area:<span>**

Shinobu Maehara was very busy serving each resident as he or she arrived at the breakfast table. The center of the table was filled with bowls of food from which each resident could serve themselves, but Shinobu made it a point of personal pride to ensure that each and every person who sat down at her table would have what they really wanted. Sarah McDougal usually wanted Bacon and Eggs on the weekend, but generally would eat whatever anything Shinobu prepared.

Kaolla Su wanted bananas in everything, and if bananas would not work out in a recipe then a hot curry sauce instead would be just fine for her.

Motoko Aoyama depending on what training she was doing could sometimes require a special diet. Moreover, she always preferred simple and traditional Japanese meals.

Naru Narusegawa also preferred the basic and traditional Japanese breakfast of steamed rice, miso soup, and various side dishes.

Mutsumi Otohime would eat anything if prepared from melons or if served with slices of melon. Mitsune "Kitsune" Konno only cared that her meals did not interfere with her drinking, so for her just about anything was okay with her too.

Keitaro Urashima did not care; everything that Shinobu made for him was great. He always looked forward to her meals, not matter what she would be cooking.

As he entered the dining area, he could not help but notice that Naru was the only one not eating as she was bent over still busy massaging her hurting hand.

"Are you al-right?" Keitaro asked his voice full of concern. Naru looked up to reply, and suddenly Keitaro found himself looking directly at mountains of earthly delights. Keitaro blushed.

For a second Naru could not understand his reaction, then looking down she realized that in her concern about her hand she had not properly adjusted her blouse, i.e. the top three buttons were not done up.

"Baka!" she yelled while jumping up to clobber Keitaro. Unfortunately, her action of jumping up so rapidly just revealed so much more to see. Keitaro made a grab for his nose in hopes to stem the tide.

BAMN! Forgetting what had happened in her room just a short time ago, Naru punched Keitaro full in the face with all the force she could muster with the very same hand with which she had hit the doorframe. Keitaro's head snapped back from the blow.

* * *

><p>PAIN! Keitaro's head felt like a sledgehammer had hit it. However, something felt different all the same. The red haze that always accompanied one of Naru's blows was not fading rapidly as it usually did, and thru that same red haze, he could still see Naru. He could still see Naru! He was not flying into space! He was still in the Hinata-Sou! He was not smashed thru a wall. He was still standing on his own two feet! Nevertheless, he still was in lots of pain. Keitaro's hand moved to the side of his face that Naru had hit.<p>

* * *

><p>PAIN! Naru's hand exploded with an intense pain. She grasped from both the pain and the surprise of feeling any such pain as she tried an 'Atomic Punch' on Keitaro. However, the real surprise for Naru was the fact that Keitaro still standing in front of her, holding his face in one hand instead of flying thru the air.<p>

"What did you do?" Naru painfully cried out, "That hurts! You hurt me! You really hurt me!"" she stated repeatedly in shock and while ignoring that she had planned to cause Keitaro lots of pain in the first place.

* * *

><p>As Naru made her exclamations, Motoko quickly came to her friend's defense, "Vile male, what did you do to her?" she asked while at the same time her sword was already moving into an attack position. A few steps bought Motoko to Naru's side and one look at Naru's face was all the reason she needed to cause her to release an assault on the still dazed kanrinin.<p>

Her bokken swung, as soon as it impacted upon Keitaro's left side Motoko knew something was wrong, very wrong! Instead of Keitaro flying thru the air, he dropped like a rock. She felt how her blade had sliced into flesh and the feedback vibrations that told her she had broken his ribs.

She was only using a bokken against immortal Urashima! This was all wrong!

In shock, Motoko watched as her target of her attack; still lying on the floor held onto his side in pain and blood started to seep thru his fingers. As she stood above him, the blood continued to flow and Keitaro showed no signs of his usual quick recovery from any attack. Instead, a small pool of blood was spreading over the flooring.

* * *

><p>Naru still angry and in major pain, she still had not realized the seriousness of Keitaro's condition and yelled out, "Baka, get up and face us like a real man." She began to position her right foot to give him a well-placed kick in the ribs. Lucky, the rest of the girls finally started to realize something was very wrong and boiling up from the dining table, they prevented Naru from following thru.<p>

Meanwhile, Motoko had dropped to her knees beside Keitaro; quickly she examined what she could see without touching him and what she saw was not good.

"Call for an ambulance." Motoko told the girls, a quick thinking Mutsumi dashed for the phone.

"What are you doing, he's faking it!" Naru cried out as she finally extracted herself from the other girls holding her.

"No, he is NOT!" Motoko stated loudly and firmly. Naru for a minute forgot her own pain as she finally realized how much blood was on the floor and that Keitaro still gave no appearance of his usual fast healing.

"Shinobu …" Motoko called out only to find the young cook already beside her with a cold compress (since Shinobu was always working with sharp knives, also it meant she already knew basic first aid).

At this moment, Mutsumi arrived with a pillow for Keitaro's head and a cordless phone into which she at the same time give directions to the Hinata-Sou. "Yes, a sword." Mutsumi answered into the phone after being asked a question, she listened to a reply and then silently handed the phone to Motoko.

Finally, she realized how bad the situation really was. "Keitaro!" Naru wailed at the same time unconsciously holding her injured hand, "Keitaro …" she sobbed.


	3. Extreme Measures

**Extreme Measures**

Disclaimers:

The title is really the property of Vince Flynn.

All characters contained within this piece of writing belong to Ken Akamatsu, and this piece has been written purely for enjoyment. No gains financial or otherwise have been made through the publishing of this fanfic.

* * *

><p><strong>Morning at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

Chaos, the entire household was up in an uproar.

A bloody Keitaro was being worked on by paramedics, they had already stemmed most of the bleeding and were now assessing his ribs and how best to move him onto the stretcher so they could transfer him to the local hospital.

* * *

><p>Shinobu was in the main room peeping in on the medical staff working on Keitaro, her facial expression and the trembling of her limbs clearly showed how scared she was for the manager's health.<p>

* * *

><p>Su was eating another banana and doing a very bad job of calming Shinobu down; since she kept claiming despite the evidence in front of them that Keitaro would heal up in no time.<p>

* * *

><p>Mutsumi like Shinobu was worried. Unlike Shinobu, she knew that Keitaro would live. There was too much medical help around to fear that; but what about afterwards? It looked like a serious physical wound to heal and Mutsumi thought there might be other mental healing issues to come, not just the present physical ones of the body.<p>

* * *

><p>Sarah had mixed feelings, she disliked the dork but on the other hand, she did not want this! Suddenly she found herself praying for him, kicking him for keeping her from her dad was one thing; having him bleeding out on the floor and not getting better was something else.<p>

* * *

><p>Kitsune was busy emptying a bottle of sake. It was the only way that she knew to handle her feelings at this point.<p>

* * *

><p>Naru also had a single paramedic binding up her hand. She was staring blindly in Keitaro's direction. The police had arrived soon after the paramedics. When they tried to question her about the events leading to his and her injuries, they got nothing useful from her. The paramedic however told the police that the damage to her hands looked self-inflicted, as if she had been fighting i.e. she hit her hand against something.<p>

* * *

><p>Motoko sat on the floor near Keitaro, her bloody hands in her lap, her bloodstained sword already bagged and on its way to the local crime lab.<p>

"So, you say you attacked him after he hurt your best friend?" one detective asked her.

"Yes. When I heard her cry out that he hurt her! I defended her from the pervert." Motoko defended her actions but all the time she knew something was very wrong.

"Pervert? How was he being a pervert? And how did he hurt her?" a second detective inquired.

"He looked down her blouse!" Motoko exclaimed with outrage.

"You attacked a man with a wooden sword because he looked down her blouse?" the first detective chimed in.

"No! No, I only attacked him after he hurt her." Motoko tried to explain. She sensed she was not getting thru to these men.

"And once again, how did he hurt her that you thought you should attack him?" the second detective asked again.

"When Naru-san punched him the face. He did not take the punch like he normally did; he just stood there and is why he hurt her hand." Motoko started to realize how silly she sounded.

"So she punched him, and it is his fault that her hand was hurt because of that?" the first detective said. Motoko nodded her head in agreement, but in her heart, she had a sinking feeling.

"I think you better come to the station with us." Said a third detective who clearly was of a higher rank than the others detectives. He nodded to the first two detectives who got out their cuffs.

Motoko numbly stood up and held her hands out to be shackled.

* * *

><p><strong>Late morning at the hospital:<strong>

All the girls of the Hinata-Sou except for Motoko were standing around the waiting room. The nurse had just told them that the doctor would be out soon to report on Keitaro`s condition. A few (long) minutes later, he walked into the room.

"Who here is the closest relative?" he asked.

The girls eyed each other nervously wondering if Naru, Mutsumi or Kitsune should try to pretend to be a relative so they could get the latest info about Keitaro.

"Actually, we are his dorm-mates and study partners." Mutsumi broke the logjam with the truth.

"All of you?" the doctor asked looking at the group of girls in front of him. For just a second an expression passed across his face that caused Naru to think 'Pervert' and to start forming a fist. Instantly pain coursed up from her hand; reminding her why they were at the hospital. An image of Keitaro's broken body bleeding out on the floor stopped her from doing something stupid.

Suddenly, "You can talk to me, my name is Haruka Urashima; I am his cousin and his closest relative within 150 kilometers. By the way, thanks Mutsumi-san for giving me a call. I don't think it crossed the minds of any of the other girls to do so." thus Haruka announced herself as she walked in thru the front doors of the waiting area.

The doctor turned to Haruka, happy to get down to business.

"The patient suffers from three broken ribs, blunt force trauma to his epidermis and crush damage where the skin was broken thru. It is my understanding this damage was caused by a blow from a wooden sword." The doctor stated.

Haruka's eyes narrowed as she scanned the room for any signs of Motoko. "She is in jail." Naru answered the unstated question. Haruka just nodded in satisfaction and turned her attention back to the doctor.

"If it was just the ribs, we could just keep him overnight for observation and send him home the following day. However, it is not that simple. The damage to the epidermis is a very serious condition. The dressing will need constant changing or there is a real risk of an infection. We want to keep him here at least a week or two, may be longer depending on how fast he starts to heal. Afterwards he will still need to come here regularly to get the dressing and bindings redone. It will probably take six weeks or more until he is well enough to do anything." The doctor reported.

"And can I go see him?" Haruka asked.

"Well, he is asleep now and I cannot allow you to wake him if you wish to talk to him. The earliest I feel I can allow that is tomorrow evening. But you can step in for a look if you wish." The doctor offered, he started leading her to a door.

From her facial expression, it was clear Naru wanted to come too. Haruka was just going to ask the doctor if she could come too when she noticed Naru's bandaged hand. Haruka's eyes narrowed, Naru realizing what Haruka had spotted, hid her hand behind herself. Haruka turned back to the doctor who was standing at the door waiting for her.

"I guess it was a good thing it was a wooden sword at least." The doctor poorly tried to comfort his patient's cousin as he opened to door leading to the ICU rooms where Keitaro presently slept.

"I bet she could cut him in two if she had used her real swords!" Su choose that moment to announce with atone of glee in her voice. All the girls in the room face-faulted at Su's insensitive comment. Su was just not getting how serious Keitaro's injuries were.

"She has real swords?" the doctor inquired while writing out a note that would be sent to the police as soon as possible.

"Yep, but they are only made of Japanese steel. So they are not as good as if they were made from Molmol steel; she keeps them is her room." Su blabbed on, not paying attention to the rest of the girls signaling to her to shut up.

Disgusted at her lack of concern, "Su, Shut Up!" was the last thing Haruka said as she exited to go see Keitaro. Behind her she could hear the babble of the girls trying to explain to Su what she did wrong.

* * *

><p><strong>Late morning at the police station:<strong>

Motoko sat in a jail cell. "What happened? He always recovered before when I hit him with my sword." Motoko asked herself as she mentally replayed her attack onto the manager.

Over and over in her mind she could feel the sickening feel of her blade slicing into Keitaro's flesh, the expression on his face and then his collapse to the floor.

"Why did it go so wrong? And why did I attack him so viciously?" Motoko questioned herself.

Motoko now was facing a personal problem that involved more than her attack on Keitaro. She had on multiple occasions attacked men for violating her honour or the honour of other girls. Never in any of her attacks to these men whom she considered so weak had she done any serious damage and some of them had been far worse than Keitaro's peeking down a blouse. Worse, even as she attacked him she knew Keitaro could not have hurt Naru on purpose, Naru had to had done her punch wrong. And still she had attacked Keitaro without hold anything back.

"Why?" Motoko was asking herself.

* * *

><p><strong>Soon after the doctor's report arrived to the police:<strong>

"It is our understanding that you have some real swords in your possesion?", a familiar voice questioned Motoko.

She looked up to find herself facing the detective who had ordered her arrest. He was flanked by the same two men that had bought her to the police station and then to jail.

"They are not my swords! They are family heirlooms which I am to guard with my life until they are returned to the family shrine!" Motoko responded, not expecting much understanding from this vile male who was so willing to throw around his authority. To her our surprise she could see that his eyes soften and he gave a nod of understanding.

"So you do have such swords." the detective noted, "Well, you can't keep them, that is for sure. Please supply these officers the needed contact information so discussions between your clan and the police can be commenced." He gave a odd hand-wave, then turning around he walked away leaving Motoko with the two men she disliked the most.

That wave - hope sprang in Motoko heart and then died just as quickly. That was a clan wave, just not her clan. It was just a signal that he understood her situation.

As she started to answer the detectives questions a horrible realization of how much trouble was to come sent a chill through-out her soul.

HER SISTER WOULD BE COMING!


	4. Field of Dishonour

**Field of Dishonour**

**Disclaimers:**

The title is really the property of David Weber.

All characters contained within this piece of writing belong to Ken Akamatsu, and this piece has been written purely for enjoyment. No gains financial or otherwise have been made through the publishing of this fanfic.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Note:<span>**

I am still in the hospital, waiting for them to move my mom.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Prologue:<span>**

Motoko has to pay the price for her actions. The girls of the Hinata-Sou will feel it's effects once Keitaro returns.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Evening at the Hinata-Sou:<span>**

Chaos once again, the entire household was once again in a uproar.  
>All the girls minus Motoko were trying to decide what to do about Motoko's swords now that Su had spoken about them in front of the wrong individual.<p>

Su refused to see what the big deal was, the swords were neat, and what they could do to a human body was even still more neater. Why would anybody object to them being in Motoko's room?

Kitsune suggested that they pawn the swords (that way they were out of the dorm), use the money to bet on the horses, then buy back the swords when the heat died down with their winnings and pocket the extra cash. This was quickly shouted down by the others who had seen Mitsune do nothing but lose on the horses for weeks.

Shinobu fearing another attack on her sempai wanted the swords destroyed, but knowing no-one would listen to that idea quietly suggested they be shipped to Motoko's clan/dojo. No-one heard her except for Mutsumi.

Mutsumi suggested calling the clan itself, but was voted down because the others thought this would get Motoko in trouble.

Naru was a lost cause, between blaming herself vs. blaming Motoko, she would then randomly descend into fits of blaming all their problems on Keitaro, never coming to a decision.

Sarah was never consulted but thought the best thing to do was leave them where they were and see what happened. The future would take care of itself.

* * *

><p>Suddenly, the problem was taken out of their hands by a loud knocking on the front door. There the same two detectives who had taken Motoko away were now waving a search and seizure warrant in their faces demanding to be taken to Motoko's room.<p>

Mutsumi had the presence of mind to quickly dash off and try to get Haruka Urashima from the tea house.

Protesting all the way the rest of the girls led them to Motoko's room, only to be surprised that the men after a quick search only took up a long black lacquered box into which they place the swords from the shrine. They also started to pack up the shrine itself, stopping only for a short while when they found some papers hidden in a secret compartment.

The girls never got a chance to see what was in those secret papers

By this time Haruka had arrived from the tea-house. After confirming that was all the police detectives were taking were the swords and the shrine they rested on; she signed the papers acknowledging the materials to be removed. Quickly the men exited the Hinata-Sou, and left the girls all wondering how this would affect Motoko who was still in jail. It was decided to go and visit her.

* * *

><p><strong><span>That evening at the police station:<span>**

"What do you mean, we can't see her right now" Mitsune bursting out in frustration towards the officer behind the admitting desk. "We are her closest friends.", she pointed out to back up her request for access.

"Motoko Aoyama has been charged with a most serious crime. Her relatives have been contacted and they are sending a legal representative to attend her as soon as possible. Until that representative arrives we have been asked to restrict contact to only direct family members. And frankly I see no reason not the respect their wishes since the suspect has asked for nothing else." the man said.

"Shit! Her sister must be coming." Mitsune said to the other girls. Everyone looked at each other, while they all wanted to see Motoko - none want to get on the bad side of her sister by trying to get around Tsuruko's wishes.

Silently they all came to an agreement and headed home to the Hinata-Sou.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Late the following morning at the police station:<span>**

"Hello little one." a soft voice that still somehow conveyed a sense of power and purpose fell upon Motoko's ears.

Motoko looked up, outwardly she appeared calm and settled. Internally however, she was filled with fear and dread ... and she knew her older sister knew it.

"I just came to collect the family heirlooms, and to report to the clan elders about your actions and the resulting loss of honour to our clan." Tsuruko Aoyama said as she turned to walk away.

"What about me?" Motoko asked in a very weak voice that did nothing to hide her shame.

* * *

><p><strong><span>The previous evening at the hospital:<span>**

"No, I will not press charges against her. It was an accident! It was all my fault!" Keitaro defiantly but weakly told the policemen beside his bed.

On the other side of the bed, his nurse monitored his vital signs, ready to cut off the detectives if she saw too much stress in the readings.

Frustrated, one detective looked toward the nurse, they had spent 10 minutes so far and he was sure the nurse would cut them off soon. He tried yet another tack.

"Look, we have already interviewed people in your neighborhood, and we know the other girls of the dorm have been hitting you in the past as well. Press charges against one and the others will realize they can't get away with it anymore and probably will stop as well." he offered as a hope to the in juried man. For a fraction of a second he thought he saw that hope flare up in the young man's eyes, then just as quickly died.

"No! I will not send anyone to jail for my mistakes!" Keitaro proclaimed loudly and strongly; clearly pushing himself to make his statement.

"That is it gentlemen, I have to call this interview to an end for today." the nurse said as she moved to direct the two men out of the room.

Behind them as they left the room they could hear Keitaro muttering, "It is all my fault. It is all my fault."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Returning back to the following morning at the police station:<span>**

Tsuruko turned around to face Motoko's cell again but she did not approach it.

"We have called in many favours to prevent the public disgrace of the clan's honour. There are no criminal charges being press either, Keitaro Urashima refuses to do such. The clan will post your bonds for the charges that will be held up by the courts and the police reports. You will have to answer for those on your own. As for your real crime for attacking your landlord, the clan elders have given you three choices: and only those three are possible." Tsuruko stated.

"And they are?" Motoko asked, her heart full of dread of the choices to come. She knew her sister was involved in shaping them, so they would be no chance that any would be easy to follow.

"One: You will cut all ties to the clan. We will help you change all your names and all clan records concerning you will be destroyed. You can go out and make a separate life of your own, but you may never enter any clan territory again, on risk of your life. You will not be dead to us, you will have never existed as far as our clan or any other clan that knows us is concerned." Tsuruko said drily.

Motoko shook her head, "I will always be Aoyama, even if it means I will lose my life, I will not forsake my clan or my clan-name." Her reply came out clear and sharp.

Tsuruko nodded her head as if she expect this reply. A slight smile crept onto her lips, Motoko shivered at what that might imply.

"Two: You will return with me to face the elders. Whatever punishment they give you must be followed. Even if it is that you perform Jigai publicly to the entire clan. And I will be there to ensure whatever the punishment is that you will follow it to the letter of clan law or I with perform worse upon your person." Tsuruko eyes now seem to have taken on a demonic red glow as she spoke.

Motoko thought carefully before answering. She was not surprised to find that she had no fear at the idea of dressing up in her best, tying her feet together and then cutting her own throat to restore her honour to the tribe, but she would regret all she wish to learn and do in the world that would never come. Besides, requesting Jigai still seemed unlikely a punishment, but she was prepare if that is what it had to be. Still! ...

"Before I say more, may I have the third choice?" Motoko request calmly even while her stomach was tying itself up in knots.

"Three: Acknowledge the harm you have done to Keitaro-san and the debt that you now own to him. It is a very large one since we are not just talking this latest attack, but *ALL* the attacks from the past when you attacked an innocent man." Tsuruko started to say.

Motoko jumped up in shock to protest, but the look on her sister face stop any of the words she wanted to say. Her big sister's face was only full of pity for her, but also pain, so much pain it was clear how much it burdened her.

"All of them. You will become his guardian and protect him from all harm, no matter the source, no matter the cause. You will protect him for as long as we consider you in debt to him." Tsuruko gave the final choice.

Motoko stood in silence, she wanted to protest that Keitaro was always a pervert, a leech, a vile male. That he deserved every blow she had ever delivered to him. But her sister's face stopped her still, she opened her mouth to protest about past indiscretions on Keitaro's part. But no words came, events flipped thru her mind.

Keitaro in the women's bath being hit by an angry Naru, but was that not cleaning equipment and materials already spread about? Who was in the bathes first anyway?

Keitaro falling into Naru's chest and then being blasted into the sky. But was that not Kitsune giggling while having a leg sticking out into his path?

Keitaro causing Shinobu to blush and/or cry, then being blasted thru the walls? But what does not make Shinobu blush and cry?

Keitaro being accused by Kitsune on rent day of trying to feel her up, yet in following days Kitsune was flush with cash to place horse race bets and buy sake.

Keitaro running into the outside bath some girls were bathing, but was that not him being chased by Su's "toys"?

"You have two hours to make your choice." her sister said as she once more started to walk away.

"And by the way." Tsuruko applied one last twist of the knife as she reach the end of the hall. "I read your writings, some were very good. BUT! Anyone who writes what I have seen has very little cause to call anyone as innocent as your manager; a pervert!" then she vanished from sight around a corner of the hallway leading to the cells.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Later that same morning at the Hinata-Sou:<span>**

A knock at the front door had a nervous set of girls answering the door. Despite it not being the police, the girls' visitor was no reason to relax. A nervous group invited her in.

Tsuruko Aoyama calmly walked into the main hall, closed her eyes, and stood there like a statue. Unseen to the girls present she was stretching out her senses to the Chi lines that met under this building and the Annex near-by. Internally she cursed herself for not paying closer attention on her previous visits, for as always the Chi lines were clean and clear. But she was aware of a small difference, so small that she never paid attention before to what had been there but was now gone. Something had changed!

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Mutsumi finally asked, while Mitsune stood at her side also wondering the same question.

"Some of that delicious tea you make would be welcome." Tsuruko smiles, while also she said it in Shinobu's direction. Shinobu happy to exit the room, hurried off to the kitchen to make tea and some snacks.

"And please don't filter out the leaves." Tsuruko called out to Shinobu's retreating back, a turn and a quick bow confirmed that she had been heard clearly.

"So when are you getting Motoko out of that dungeon?", Naru demanded loudly.

Tsuruko just looked at her, there was no real expression on Tsuruko's face yet Naru felt like a bug being inspected by a scientist who was about to dump their latest specimen into the killing jar. Still Naru bravely stood there waiting for a reply. It was a long wait.

Finally, a sigh and then a response, "When and how Motoko will leave that place is purely up to her own choices." Tsuruko answered.

As the girls puzzled over the meaning of her words Shinobu arrived with the tea and some quickly made snacks.

Tsuruko delicately sipped her tea, and all the other girls gratefully grab something to eat so that they would not have to talk and maybe offend |Motoko's older sister. NOBODY wanted to offend Motoko's sister.

Reaching the dregs of her cup of tea, Tsuruko careful swirled the remaining tea and leaves and examining the resulting pattern, or rather lack of any. Yet another sigh escaped from her lips, but the results were what she expect. "I guess it was worth a try." she thought to herself.

Rising from her seating, she acknowledged with the smallest of bows her thanks to Shinobu for the tea, and with just a small head nod to the rest of the girls she left the building.

Left behind the girls were abuzz with speculation about what her visit was all about.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Noon at the police station:<span>**

Motoko lifted her head, she did not need to hear her sister's footsteps to know she was coming. The sheer presence of her Chi did that just fine.

"Well, have you made your final decision? Or shall I make it for you?" were the first words from Tsuruko's mouth.

"I have." answered Motoko, "But only with one added condition." she added.

"You are in no position to state conditions!" Tsuruko eyes once again started to take on a reddish glow.

"Wait, wait. If I am to be judged fairly at-least listen to my request." Motoko pleaded.

"Go on" Tsuruko waited in turn.

"I am accused of attacking an innocent man. And while I admit this last attack was more than what should have happened. I still stand by my claim that he is a pervert and should not be around the girls of the dorm. I want the third choice as long as I am also allowed to report all his wrongs as well. I want the clan council see what type of man he really is. I am sure after I have shown him in his true light that they will realize that he does not deserve to be defend nor I punished this way." Motoko said.

"And can you give them honest reports, without leaving out details that might prove Keitaro being in the right?" Tsuruko inquired.

Motoko stood up, then bowed deeply to her elder sister. "I so swear on my life!" Motoko formally replied.

"You do know that this means that if you are caught misrepresenting events that the clan will very likely demand Jigai." Tsuruko warned.

"Hi." Motoko acknowledged still bowing to her sister.

"I think your added terms are fair as long as you are honest. And will report them as so to the council", Tsuruko agreed. "I will go to see about your release, it will still take a few days before you can go back to the dorm, but on the other-hand Keitaro-san will be in the hospital for longer still."

Motoko return to sitting on the bed, and considered the situation and path that she now had chosen to take.


	5. The Trouble with Angels

**The Trouble with Angels**

**Disclaimers:**

The title is really the property of Jane Trahey.

All characters contained within this piece of writing belong to Ken Akamatsu, and this piece has been written purely for enjoyment. No gains financial or otherwise have been made through the publishing of this fanfic.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Personal Note December 2012:<span>**

Both my mom and Aunt Polly continue to have health problems that have interfered with me writing my story. I am sorry it is taking so long.

**Author's Personal Note February 2014:**

I am saying sorry to all my readers.

I have not posted anything for over a year.

My Aunt Polly died in Late-December 2012, my Mom in Mid-March 2013.

Since then I have been busy taking care of the affairs of my Mom's estates. And I was also dragged into looking after some of my Aunt Polly's interests in Canada.

I also had already had planned a combined trip(s) to Alaska/Long Beach Vancouver Island/and my brother who lives in BC over two years ago. It was pre-paid and I would have lost my money ($3000+) if I had not gone. That was 22 days alone. I also had two camping trips also pre-paid and needed to go to my cabin to handle the Cottage Lake Association and to take care of the property.

After that I needed to take care of the bills for the condo in Florida, and the last few days trying to rent it out.

Anyway, I have an outline for the next chapters and hope to start posting chapters soon.

PS. The ice storms in Canada and USA have also interfered with my timing.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Prologue:<strong>

Naru starts to slip back to her old self, Motoko starts her inspection of Keitaro's personal life.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 5 At the hospital waiting room:<strong>

All the girls except for Motoko had gathered in the visitor's waiting room. Because of his physical condition, Keitaro was only allowed to see them two at a time with a nurse present.

Going in first, Shinobu had held onto her emotions while talking to her sempai (promising all sorts of treats when he got back) but as soon as she left his room, she broke out into tears.

Mitsune who had accompanied her did a little better, she only had to dab her eyes once in a while after she left Keitaro's room. Still it was a damp-eyed Mitsune whom ended up hugging Shinobu in an effort to calm down the young cook and herself as well.

* * *

><p>Next, Su and Sara had quickly gone into his room to say hello and then left just as quickly on the nurse's insistence (well, more like forced out since Su had tried to climb into the bed with Keitaro to give him a bear hug and Sara suggested kicking him to see if he was really as injured as claimed). Unnoticed to all was the fact that during Su's attempt to climb into bed, and with the nurse pulling her out of said bed; that a power cord was displaced from its usual position.<p>

After the nurse got rid of the troublesome pair, she invited the next pair of visitors in and also returned to her duties setting up equipment inside Keitaro's room which had the bonus of letting her continue keep an eye on everyone in the bedroom.

* * *

><p>Now it was it was the turn of the two possible candidates for the "promise girl"; Mutsumi and Naru were the next two girls to enter Keitaro's room. But as Naru entered his room (her eyesight blurring from tears she refused to shed in front of him), she tripped over the errant power cord leading to his bed.<p>

Stumbling forward as she tried to regain her lost balance - Naru was making a bee-line for Keitaro's bed. Unfortunately the bed's railing was still down, and to Keitaro's own horror, he could predict what would happen next. (She would land on top of him, blame him for her being there, and she would HIT!)

For the first time in his young life, Keitaro had a full sense of his own mortality. Like most youth he never really considered his own death, and as attack after attack by the girls of the dorm failed to do him permanent harm; this personal belief in his immortality had been strengthened. This did not mean that in the past he did not fear the attack of the other girls, pain after was always pain.

It was just that Naru was very predictable; when something went wrong that she always blamed him and then hit first, and maybe, just maybe she would ask questions afterwards.

Aware that he no longer seemed immortal and his own weaken state, Keitaro was sure he was going to die as he saw Naru's bosom headed towards his face.

He did the only thing he could, he screamed like a scared little girl! The nurse whipped around to see what the matter was. There she saw a brown-hair girl pushing herself off her patient then raising a fist as if to smash it into her charge! Quickly grabbing the threatening arm the nurse started to drag the wayward visitor out of the room. Glancing back the nurse could see that her patient looked in-fear of his life from the girl she was holding and the other visitor was holding one of his hands as she made soothing noises to him.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 6: Mid-day at the Courthouse:<strong>

Judge Kousaka carefully read over the papers before him. Since the patient was still in the hospital he paid careful attention to the police reports and the latest observations from the doctors and nurses.

"I don't believe this.", he commented to himself as he leafed thru all the papers.

"All this and still he will not press charges or post a proper restraining order on either of these violent girls.", he noted.

Reading the hospital reports he saw no problem backing up their request.

"Well, at-least they have the patient's health in mind. I have no problem with their request to keep these girls away from him until he regains his health and hopefully his senses too.", the judge thought as he signaled his assistant secretary to come over and start the necessary paper-work. He would make sure there would be no delays in getting them processed and delivered back.

"You have to be an angel to forgive these girls after all they done to you.", the judge said to himself as he watch his assistant rush off to file, register and send of the papers before the end of the day.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 7: Late Morning at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

Naru paced back and fore in her room. That morning she had gone to the hospital to try and see Keitaro again. However, she had been stopped from entering the building by security, who told her that they had a signed restraining order to prevent her from seeing Keitaro. As usual, Naru jumped to her own conclusions instead of asking for details and assumed that it was filed by the manager.

"Does not want to see me! He does not want to see me! Who does he think he is?" she muttered loudly to herself.

Elsewhere, the other girls had also heard about the judge's order thru Naru, and while they thought it was Keitaro's idea because that is what they were told. None of the other girls were angry at him like Naru, in-fact most thought it was a good idea to just let him rest for now.

Later that day the girls were forced to hear Naru rant against someone they all knew she had earlier had been crying for, also they noticed there was no mention of her role that help put him into the very hospital she could not visit.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 8:<strong>

Motoko stood at the bottom of the stairs leading to the Hinata-Sou. Staring at the building she felt very nervous. Mostly it was because she no longer was allowed to carry a blade. Without one on her side or available near-by Motoko almost felt like she was walking around naked. She felt exposed to the world, vulnerable to an attack with no way to defend herself or others who may depend on her skills.

In reality, Motoko unarmed combat skills were good enough to defend herself against the vast majority of people. The truth was that there were a number of street gangs that if they saw Motoko walking down a street towards they would quickly cross to the other side of the street to avoid her. Motoko was in no danger, sword or no sword.

Taking in a deep breath, she patted the camera that she now was carrying with a shoulder strap. This would become her new weapon against the vile male dorm manager. Just a few pictures of his perverted acts would be needed to be delivered to the clan council and all her past actions would be vindicated.

Motoko started her climb up the stairs to the dorm. As soon as she arrived at the top, the front doors were thrown open to the cheers and greetings of all the girls of the Hinata-sou.

A small party broke out at once, it went on for hours.

* * *

><p>Later Motoko examined her room, without the shrine and her swords, it just felt wrong.<p>

"Yet another crime caused by that vile male!", Motoko said to herself, but she already knew the council would not agree with her point of view.

Motoko sat down to think and to plan her order of investigations.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 9: - Morning at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

After breakfast, outside Keitaro's room:

Motoko warred with herself on whether it was honourable to enter the manager's room without his permission. She had her camera and all it would take would be a few photo of the hentai materials Motoko was sure the manager kept in his room.

"What are you doing just standing there? ", Naru inquired as she just happened to be passing by.

"I am debating whether it was okay to enter Keitaro-san's room. I would like to find proof for my elders to show what a pervert he is.", Motoko explained.

"Well, this is a house is full of young girls, and as the eldest residents it is our duty to protect the youngest members of our household.", Naru theorize, "And more than once I drop into his room unannounced only to notice him was quickly hiding something from me. I want to know what he was hiding from me, I bet it is something perverted.", Naru now stated while ignoring that it was she who was invading the manager's privacy.

"So you think it is a good idea?", Motoko ask while at the same time she to mentally pushed aside that Keitaro might have rights too.

"Let us go and see.", Naru stated, while opening the door to Keitaro's room. Both girls then hesitated to see who would cross the threshold first.

Motoko finally moved first, looking about the room it struck her how little there was to see. She had been in this room before rescuing Naru from the perverted manager when she heard her cries and without paying attention had always assumed that there would be some Hentai poster on a wall or two. From Su and Sarah's talking about girlie books they had found, she had also expected to find such spread about on the floor.

In-fact there was nothing like that visible at-all. Motoko let out the deep breath she had taken to steady her nerves against the Hentai material she expected to find in her survey.

"Let's look in this closet first." Naru pointed to one set of doors, "I know he puts things away in a hurry into here if I drop in and surprise him." She added.

The samurai girl as always ignored the point that Naru was the one invading the manager's personal space since that was what she was doing herself at present.

Opening the closet doors she found herself staring at stacks of papers and books. Carefully she started to read what titles she could, but most were study books for cram school.

As they continued their search the titles started to change to subjects not related to school.

Finally Motoko saw her prize, it was only a corner of a book but that corner clearly said "Nudes", Motoko pulled out book carefully so as to not disturb the piles of paper on top of it. Eagerly she looked to read the cover's title:- "How to draw Nudes" it proclaimed.

Flipping thru the pages it became very clear this could not really be considered a hentai book. Most of the pictures within showed close-up details of parts of the arms, legs, joints etc. The few complete nude drawings were tastefully shown and most of the notes included with the nude pictures were about positioning of the model and lighting effects.

"See, I knew he was a pervert!" Naru proclaimed as she caught a glimpse of the nude, then realized the sex of the model which was clearly on display, "And he is gay?" a note of dismay was expressed in her voice.

"Don't be silly, a book on drawing nudes is going to show both sexes." Motoko commented, but both girls were starting to blush as they examined the full-page display of a nude male surrounded by printed and hand-written notes on lighting and pose.

Turning back to the storage area the girls continued their investigations; they quickly found more books about drawing. Naru wanted to claim that these books were proof of the perverted nature of their manager and he was trying to hide his interests by buying artist books instead of hentai.

This was quickly silenced once they found his actual pencil drawings. Scenes of buildings, views from the roof, people in general, and the girls of the Hinata doing what they usually did. Shinobu was in her kitchen, Motoko practicing with her sword, Su and Sara playing outside, and Kitsune drinking as always. But more than all the girls' put together time after time there were drawings of Naru.

Naru leafed thru all the pictures of herself, "When did he do these?", she asked herself as she recognized some of the situations that he recorded. Slowly however, the softness of her face harden as she saw some pictures where Keitaro had tried to capture her figure, drawing her in her swim suits or one of her summer dresses where the hem was slightly lifted in a breeze.

"He has been stalking me!", Naru declared looking towards Motoko for support. Only to find the warrior's attention focus on another artist drawing book.

Motoko started at the picture in-front of her. It was a drawing of herself, not as she normally appeared, but as a warrior in armor - a smoking sword in her right hand, a dead demon at her feet. Her face! A stern face clearly capturing the determination to do her duty.

"Is this how he really sees me?", Motoko questioned herself as her eyes drank in every fine detail that Keitaro had placed in his picture of her. "Why would he draw me like this!", Motoko was confused, she would not been surprised if she had found a perverted drawing of herself, in-fact that is what she had expected to find. A nude rendering of Naru, herself or any of the other girls of the Hinata was exactly the ammunition she had hoped to find to show as evidence to her elders. Instead, she found this.

"Did you hear me, Motoko-san can you hear me", Naru's voice at-last broke thru her thoughts. "Keitaro has been stalking me!", she exclaimed as she waved some pictures in her face. Motoko reached out and carefully leafed thru the pictures, even as she saw them she knew none of them would support Naru's claim to the elders. They were simply the type of pictures that you would expect an artist learning his craft would produce. Besides she thought their style showed Naru in a good light.

"These are not good enough to convince anyone.", Motoko declaimed even as she was aware that Naru did not agree.

"Also this search of his room is not finding anything useful to show the elders to reconsider their punishments.", she concluded.

It took a little more urging on Motoko's part as Naru tried searching the rest of the area but at last she was about to convince Naru to put everything back to the way it was before and to leave the manager's room alone.

* * *

><p>As they headed back to the dining area Motoko took note that the floor needed polishing, the wainscoting was collecting dust and other cleaning duties were needed to be done. She also notice some dings caused by Su and Sarah rough play, not to mention Su's toys.<p>

"I guess the baka had some uses.", Motoko had to admit to herself. She also pushed the image of Keitaro's picture to the back of her mind.

* * *

><p>That evening at dinner Motoko suggested that the duties of cleaning and maintaining the building needed to be split up until Keitaro could return to doing his services. Kitsune as expected came up with all sorts of excuses as to why she could not devote any time to the hinata; Motoko had to threaten her seriously before she agreed to help. Sarah agreed to work with Su and Su was sure she could make a machine to do both her and her friend's chores. Shinobu was no problem; really Motoko thought she was doing too much. For example, she was often doing the laundry for everyone when in the past most of the girls had done their own. It took time but in the long run all the girls agreed to help maintain the Hinata-Sou.<p>

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 9:<strong>

Through-out the day the girls went about their various duties, doing their chores if they had any, studying, reading and eating their daily meals. All would appear normal to an outsider, but each and every girl was missing the manager's presence (whether for good or bad reasons) and to all the females the Hinata was a little too quiet and a lot more boring than they had gotten used.

Two girls had still more on their minds. Naru was getting more and more frustrated in not being allowed to enter the hospital; however she just turned her frustration into anger and then directed it towards Keitaro. (And yes, she still had not asked any questions and still assumed that Keitaro was the cause.)

Motoko on the other hand was coming to the decision that she needed to wait for the weakling male's return to get the opportunity to photograph him in the act of doing something perverted.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 10:<strong>

This day was almost repeat of the previous one, only Naru seem to build up still more anger and Motoko continued to prepare herself for the manager's return.

Motoko also tried to keep an eye on the girls she expected to get the least amount work out of, to her surprise she found Su and Sarah dusting walls and mopping floors.

"I can't get any of my designs to work.", Su explained, "I can get a basic design working, but the moment I try to up the power they burn out and if I try to up-grade the controlling computer it just freezes up. I don't know what I am doing wrong.", she continued.

Next Motoko found Mitsune with an unexpected major hangover, a headache like none she had before.

"One little drinking contest, and I lost! I never lose, but I did.", Mitsune complained, "Worse, my weight went up half a kilo. My weight never goes up! What if I start getting fat?", she now wailed quietly.

Motoko did not know what to say, but she did help the resident drinker find more aspirin.

Naru was in her room pacing back and forth, she promised to do her chores before the end of the day.

Shinobu seemed to be the only one unaffected, her knife work was as fast as ever, her food was delicious, and all her cleaning was spotlessly done.

Motoko then went off to do her work, in this case something she considered too dangerous to ask any of the others to do, inspect the tiles of the roof. She found no damaged or loose tiles and then realized without the manger being hit to fly to the stars or Su's explosive toys chasing him that there was little reason to expect anything to go wrong with the tiles.

"Naru-san is always complaining that he needs to repair the roof because he keeps damaging it, but if she and Su would stop attacking so much the roof would stay alright.", Motoko thought, then she went to finish up her jobs.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 11: Afternoon at the hot springs:<strong>

Motoko wrapped in a towel passed thru the doors to the hot springs. She then carefully placed her camera on a dry, flat rock near the entrance before walking across the flag-stones before entering the pools. As she walked to the water she noticed how slippery the stones were becoming and her sharp eye notice the tell-tall signs of algae growing in the cracks between stones.

Thinking back she realized that when Keitaro was around that he never let the spring area suffer such a condition. "Well, I guess that baka had even more uses than I realized after-all", Motoko admitted to herself, but not without adding the thought, "If only he did not try to sneak in all the time to peek at us girls.". She also said to herself as she continued to the water's edge.

Soon after, just as Motoko was lowering herself into the hot but refreshing water Naru also enter the faculties. The 'A' student however was not as observant as to the condition of the surface she was walking on. Half of the way to the water her feet slipped out from under her causing a painful landing.

"Aaarrrrhhh, this is entirely all that pervert's fault. He should here cleaning the stones!" Naru yelled out after she stood up again, and then slowly entered the water.

Motoko looked at Naru in shock. How could she expect him to be cleaning the springs if he was still in the hospital? Besides she had to check the schedule but Motoko was sure that it was Naru's turn to have cleaned the bath area yesterday.

Just as Motoko opened her mouth to make a comment, Naru continued with her perceived complaints towards the manager.

"If that baka was here now, I could just hit him for leaving the baths in this state.", Naru stated, "I bet he is pretending to still be hurt so he can get of working. Meanwhile, he just lies around while pretty nurses take care of him. No wonder he does not want me to get inside the hospital.", she finished.

"I don't think that is why, he may be a pervert but I can't believe he would actively prevent you from seeing him.", knowing his feelings towards Naru - Motoko found herself defending the manager, "Besides, it was your turn to clean the baths.", she also pointed out.

Naru went silent and just sat in the water and fumed at Motoko's words.

Motoko in turn contemplated the fact that she had defended the baka manager. The picture of herself by manager appeared in her mind, Motoko was puzzled as to why her assumed baka/perverted manager would draw her that way.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 12: Morning in front of the hospital:<strong>

Motoko looked at the two security guards blocking her way. She well knew they were no match for her even without a sword by her side, but forcing her way in would just make the case against her by the elders worse.

"I am sure miss, but we have our orders and I was shown the restraining order myself. So I am afraid I cannot allow you to enter the building.", the older of the two guards said.

"I have never seen this order you claim exists, how do I know that this is not a fiction made up so you don't need to do you real jobs?", Motoko countered.

"You have not seen it?", the older guard said with surprise, since he knew that a copy should have been sent to the girl's address.

"Akagi-san run down to legal and see if you can get a copy for this young lady, I will keep an eye on her till you return.", once more the elder guard was taking the lead. Quickly the other man ran into the hospital.

"Just wait a few minutes and we can get this all straighten out.", the guard declared.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Inside the legal department:<strong>

"I need help.", the young guard called out, "One of those crazy girls is demanding to get in – claims she has never seen the restraining order. HA! I have the mind to just call the police and have her arrested.", Akagi said very loudly.

"Wait, don't you dare phone them! If she is telling the truth we will be the ones in trouble if she is arrested.", a lawyer popped up and rebutted the guard's opinion. "Quick, someone find me our copy of the order.".

A fast search of the most recent courts order found the needed documents, BUT!

"We have two signed copies here.", the person who found the needed documents said, "Why do we have two copies?", she ask with confusion.

"Let me see they.", the original lawyer who had spoken out asked and then collected the paper-work.

"Damn, this was a rushed job. We got both copies instead! Even if we give her the required papers I don't think they have proper legal standing without bonded mail or a court official presenting them.", the lawyer carefully testing the legal ramifications.

"Okay, give her this copy but let her in under guard only. We will sort this out with the judge in the meantime.", finished off the lawyer as he handed one copy to the guard.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Back outside the hospital:<strong>

The younger guard relayed what he had been told at the same time he handed his copy of the papers to Motoko.

"So let her in?", the older one said.

"That is what I was told, but someone has to stay with her at all times.", the younger one added.

"Okay, I can handle that; you keep your post here. And if anymore of the girls show up give me a call. I think for the moment we should let only one at a time in. That we can handle.", the older guard theorized.

* * *

><p><span><strong>In Keitaro's hospital room:<strong>

Motoko looked down on the sleeping manager. At this moment he looked a lot like Shinobu when she was asleep – almost angel-like. Motoko smiled at the sight, and then realizing how she was thinking got a grip on herself.

"What am I thinking, this man is a baka and pervert.", shaking her head Motoko chastised herself.

"Well, once he is back I will be ready for him.", she thought, but this in turn forced her to think how badly incapacitated he was.

"And that is my fault.", Motoko admitted to herself, "I never needed to hit so hard. Still I am sure it was his fault that Naru was hurt, she was never hurt hitting him before. For that matter my sword strokes never injured him that bad either.", she said to herself to avoid the pain of making such a mistake.

"No, if I am going the face the elders I must stick to the facts. I have seriously hurt Keitaro-san in the past, but he always got better and I have taken that as my license to do fiercer and fiercer attacks.", Motoko once again chastised herself.

"Still, something is not right, both Naru and the baka getting hurt. And there is a different feel to the entire hinata, what is going on.", the sword-woman asked herself.

"I better get back to the dorm and tell them how he is.", she thought as she started to leave.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Back at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

At the dining table Motoko talked to all the other girls about their manager, Naru announced that she would go to the hospital to see him for herself tomorrow morning; the rest commented that they hoped he would be back soon.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 13: Morning at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

A knock at the front, Shinobu as always was there to answer it. In the doorway was Aunt Haruka; in her hands was a very official looking folder.

"Please call everyone to the main hall dear, I have something very important to tell everyone.", Aunt Haruka requested.

A quick bow and Shinobu hurried off to do her request. In minutes all the girls except for Naru were present.

"Where is Naru-san?", Aunt Haruka asked.

"She went to the hospital again. Since Motoko-san got to see Keitaro-san yesterday she figured that she would be allowed in today.", she was told in reply.

"Oh dear, that is why I wanted to talk to you all. This morning I received a restraining order for all the resident girls of the hinata, none of you are allowed into the hospital.", Aunt Haruka explained.

"WWWHHHAAATTTT!", all the girls present exclaimed.

"What about Motoko-sempai? She got to see him just yesterday.", burst out Shinobu who had hoped to bring her personal idol some home cooking (yes, the problem with hospital food is a worldwide one.).

"That is because they made a mistake in delivering the first restraining order; they fixed that mistake this morning. Since Keitaro-san 'your manager' is in the hospital I become the legal guardian of the hinata, and because they delivered a new restraining order this morning it applies to all of you.", Aunt Haruka explained.

"And Naru-san?", Mitsune asked, thinking about her friend.

"Probably refused already and returning home right now.", Aunt Haruka guessed.

The girls all drew in a breath as they all anticipated what mood Naru would be in.

Meanwhile, Naru was returning on the train and yes she was angry even after seeing the restraining order.

"I don't believe it.", Naru muttered loudly to herself, "Motoko-san got in even though they already had one set of papers, and when I show up they have a totally new restraining order to prevent me going in. It must be that baka's fault that this is only happening to me.".

It was a very angry and frustrated Naru who returned to the Hinata-Sou.

* * *

><p>PS. The fun begins when Keitaro returns in the next chapter. :)<p> 


	6. Cast in Chaos

**Cast in Chaos**

**Disclaimers:**

The title is really the property of Michelle Sagara.

All characters contained within this piece of writing belong to Ken Akamatsu, and this piece has been written purely for enjoyment. No gains financial or otherwise have been made through the publishing of this fanfic.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Personal Note February 2014:<strong>

Finally I got out of Florida. I had been stuck there since November trying to arrange the rental of my Mom's condo. It took to February 16 to clear up all the government paper work and get the rental going. Also I was planning to start watching the Detective Conan anime, but once I found out that there were over 600+ episodes and the series still had not finished; I called it quits before I even started.

**Author's Story Note February 2014:**

Yes, I know that Mount Fuji closes most public areas at night but I am sure where there is a will, there is a way. I also have a number of friends who work in the home care industry and they are refer to the people they help as clients, not patients.

**Author's Personal Note May 2014:**

I am sorry I have taken so long to write this, but hope to do better in the following months.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Prologue:<span>**

The girls find real life at the hinata is not a piece of cake anymore; Keitaro returns to the Hinata-Sou a changed man.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Days 14 - 19 at the dorm:<strong>

All the girls of the hinata managed with the absence of the dorm's manager in their own different ways.

Shinobu spent time in the kitchen planning out and trying new recipes, all with an eye to said manager's return. Unlike the innocent Shinobu of old she sometimes found herself getting angry as she remembered the various attacks by Naru and Motoko on her beloved. At times like these she had to quickly suppress her feelings as she found her vision drifting to her rack of craving knives.

Sarah just played with Su and wished she could be with her Dad.

Su on the other hand was having a harder time. None her designs were working; parts would assembly okay and things would move generally the way she expected. But the moment she turned on the power too many times things would jam, break or not move in the directions she planned. She was having real problems with her home-made remote controls – none would work. Worse, the chemicals that made her explosives from now on tended to catch fire as she mixed them, her batteries would overheat or not supply enough power and if they did supply enough the motors would burn out. Basically all her old hardware was not working properly, and nothing she built now would work right.

Mitsune life was not much better, with no manager there was no-one to hit up for money. Her sexy moves did not work on the other girls and they led to some very dangerous situations when she had tried hitting on some men in the local clubs. Somehow her ability to charm men and then just drop them with no hard feelings on their part did not work as well as it used to. She also found her hangovers were far worse than they had ever been in the past. And just to make matters worse she was clearly gaining in weight, since Keitaro's attack she was up three and a half kilos. Between this and her usual bad luck with the horses Mitsune was broke, hangover, and fatter – life was a mess. And the rent was due soon.

On the other-hand Mutsumi was feeling better and better, she could feel herself strengthen day by day. The tea house was very busy these days yet she never seemed to tire like she used to. Looking towards the future the range of things she could do with Kei-kun just seemed to expand each day. Now her dream of climbing Mount Fuji with him and sharing a watermelon while waiting for the moon-rise was possible. Mutsumi was happy, and full of energy.

Naru was a frustrated girl with a very sore hand, Every time her hand started to feel better Naru would forget she no longer had an 'atomic punch' and then while thinking about not being able to see Keitaro she would get angry and punch something. Since up to now it was her normal way to deal with stress it was taking some time to learn to hold back.

While it did not show, Motoko was the impatient one, the sooner Keitaro returned the sooner she could get the clan elders to change their ruling. In the meantime she found she had to run herd on the other girls (Shinobu not included) to make sure all the details of maintaining the dorm were taken care of. "We did all this these things ourselves before that baka arrived.", Motoko thought to herself, "When did everyone become so lazy and dependent on that pervert to do so much?", she questioned as she was also forced to realize how much Keitaro had been doing behind the scenes. And still once again Keitaro's picture of her as warrior kept coming to her mind.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 20 mid-day in-front of the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

All the girls were just outside the entrance watching as Keitaro was being delivered back by ambulance. The main reasons for the ambulance instead of just a taxi were the medical supplies/equipment that was also coming in with the still recovering young man. The two men assisting Keitaro to his room, both kept a wary eye on the girls the entire time they were inside the dorm. They had already been warned about the violent tendencies of the oldest girls, but scuttle-butt around the hospital said the two youngest girls were also to be watched out for.

Once inside the manager's room, the two men carefully placed a small storage cabinet in a corner and then stocked it with supplies the home care nurse would need when she visited every two days or so. They also made sure Keitaro was comfortable and had no complaints then they hastily got back to the ambulance and left at full speed.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Dinner Time:<strong>

While everyone rushed to the dining table when the call that it was ready went out, Keitaro found he was feeling weak and stiff from his extended bed stay at the hospital. Moving slower than usual he was not surprised that he was the last to arrive at the table.

"Come on slow-poke, Shinobu-chan refuses to serve us till you sit down.", a hungry Mitsune called out.

Keitaro smiled weakly and sat down at the head of the table, this left an unusual gap between himself and Naru.

"Keitaro-san is back!", Su yelled happily as she bounced up from her place at the table and then delivered a kick to his face just for the fun of it.

Motoko was so quickly taken by surprise that she almost cursed out loud, she already knew of the violent greetings that Sarah and Su usually had for the manager in the mornings and she had been tasked to protect Keitaro until she could prove him to be the pervert that she always knew he was. And here she let him get attacked within seconds of joining the girls at the table.

Arriving at his side she could see a bruise already starting to rise on his face, he also seemed to be in a daze from the kick (his eyes were not in focus). Motoko started to realize that once again the immortal young man seemed to no longer be invulnerable to physical attacks.

Meanwhile, Su still lay on the floor rubbing her right elbow that she had hit after falling to the ground.

"Keitaro-san! You pervert!", Naru yelled as she made a fist.

Motoko looked to her in confusion. "What are you talking about?", she asked.

"He is looking at Su's panties!", Naru explained angrily as she stepped around the table.

A surprised Motoko now glanced towards Su only to see that from her fall that her dress was exposing her underwear, but returning her attention to Keitaro she could see that he was still in too much of a daze to notice anything around him.

"I don't think so Naru-san.", Motoko replied as she both helped Keitaro sit up and kept her body between the angry girl and the dazed young man.

Naru was too surprised to continue her attack; Motoko had always backed her claims in the past.

"I really don't think so, he is too out of it from that kick to notice anything.", Motoko stated as she also noted how badly the bruise was starting to look.

Naru just stood where she was in confusion; Shinobu however quickly arrived with a damp towel wrapped around some ice cubes. Motoko in turn quickly applied the wrap and waited until Keitaro came out of his daze and got his hand in place to hold it there. She then got up and dragged the brown haired girl out of the dining room.

* * *

><p>"I thought you wanted to record whenever that baka was doing something perverted?", Naru asked.<p>

"Yes, when **HE** does something perverted! The elders will ask real questions about what happened. What do I say? He was perverted because a girl kicked him in the face and when she fell her underwear was exposed?", Motoko pointed out.

"You could lie to them, after-all you know he is already a pervert so where is the harm?", Naru said the words then realized how wrong she was to have said so as she watched Motoko's face change to stone.

"Lie to the elders! Lie to them? Don't you realize that I swore on my life and my personal and the clan's honours to present real proof of that weakling's perversions?", Motoko's voice was as cold as ice. "First, I don't break my oaths and there is no way I could fool the elders if I tried to do so. Second since you seem to think lying is something to do get the results you want, I now have to question how many times you may have lied to me, especially about Keitaro-san.", Motoko theorized, her voice as cold as ice.

Motoko turned away from her and returned to the dining area, Naru silently followed her thoughts in a twirl from Motoko not automatically backing her statements.

* * *

><p>Dinner was far quieter than usual. Su and Sarah babbled as they always did, but Motoko and Naru were lost in their thoughts and Keitaro was busy trying to eat while also holding the ice pack against his face. Trying to avoid conflict he kept his eyes on the food he was eating.<p>

Motoko was in particular was questioning how many times Naru had accused Keitaro when she had not been present to see what she had claimed had happened. She had always known that Naru lied to herself about her feelings and even lied to hide those same feelings from others, but to ask herself (Motoko) to lie was a whole different thing.

At the same time Naru was steaming at the lack of support, she decided to keep an eye on the manager. She would be ready when his perverted ways showed themselves.

Shinobu as usual had served dinner, and as the meal came to its end she jumped up and got the desserts from the kitchen. Quickly she served everyone leaving her beloved sempai for last. Once more coming out from the kitchen she brought her "Welcome Back" special dessert just for him.

As she placed it in-front him Shinobu screwed up her courage and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and said, "Welcome back sempai.", then she blushed a deep red as she waited for the manager's reaction. Keitaro's attention was so on the gorgeous dessert that he had not even noticed Shinobu's light peck on the cheek.

"This looks great, I can't wait to taste it!", Keitaro exclaimed as he turned his head to speak to the now nervous cook only to find her bright red face very close to his. His reaction – to turn red in the face too!

While everyone else around the table thought Shinobu's greeting to be cute, Naru's reaction was different. Both had red faces and were clearly embarrassed, and since Keitaro was involved it had to be something pervert even if she did not see what it was. Striking like a cobra, Naru's fist smashed in Keitaro's face now leaving him with bruises on both sides of his face.

A shocked Shinobu screamed.

After all her deep thinking earlier Motoko's reaction was not a follow-up attack but once again to jump to the abused manager's defense.

"What do you think you are doing?", Motoko demanded, "Do you want to go to jail next?", she pointed out.

"He was doing something perverted to Shinobu-chan.", Naru claimed while once again holding a hand that felt like it was on fire from the pain she was in.

"What was he doing?", Motoko demanded, "I was looking right at them and saw nothing but an innocent kiss on his cheek.", she stated. Mitsune nodded her head in agreement.

* * *

><p>"I don't know, but from the way they were blushing it had to be something bad.", Naru tried to explain.<p>

"The two of them were just blushing! Do you know how many times I have seen the two of you blushing together when I walked into a room? Does this mean you were doing perverted things with him when I was not around?", Motoko demanded. Her attention turned back to the once again dazed manager. As she went to transfer the ice pack to this new assault Shinobu appeared at her side with a fresh ice pack. Leaving Keitaro to be taken care by Shinobu Motoko turned towards Naru.

"You hit him because of a blush, you asked me to lie to my elders, and you blamed him earlier because you did not do your duties cleaning the pool area. Naru Narusegawa, I no longer trust your judgement. I will deal with my defense to my elders on my own – as for you, don't ask for my help nor try to prove to me any of Keitaro-san's faults, I will do my investigations without having a clearly biased observer at my side.", Motoko was upset not only at Naru, but also herself. Twice the person she was to protect was attacked right in front of her, and both times she had not reacted in time to stop the assaults, she had to do better.

Motoko's thought some more and then retrieving her camera she took pictures of Keitaro's face before sending him off to his room to rest. Looking around she came to a quick decision.

"Keitaro-san clearly cannot perform his duties in his present condition; this means we will have to continue maintaining the Hinata-Sou until he gets better. And Mitsune-san don't forget your rent is due tomorrow, everyone else has already paid up.", she proclaimed. Mitsune did not look happy.

"What, still more cleaning to do! How do expect me to do so with my hand in this condition?", Naru wailed as she held up a red and slightly swollen hand.

"By you stop hitting people whenever you feel like it, you hit him hard and now you are feeling the results.", Motoko retorted, she really was upset about Naru's actions lately.

"Motoko-san, is it okay to take sempai his dessert? He never got to eat it, not even a taste.", Shinobu asked quietly from Motoko's left side.

"She should not be alone with him.", Naru had to interject. Her hand was still hurting and it was putting her in a foul mood.

"I will accompany her.", Motoko offered as Shinobu picked up the dessert, a drink and a spoon.

The two girls left for the manager's room leaving a fuming Naru behind.

* * *

><p>Since Keitaro's hands were occupied holding both icepacks, Shinobu had the thrill of feeding her Sempai by hand. The bruises on his face almost broke her heart, but being able to care for him and feed him her latest creation went a long way to re-heal it. Motoko took the time to survey the manager's room and once more confirmed the lack of questionable materials being present.<p>

As they finished up Motoko left the room first as Shinobu packed up to leave too.

"How can you leave her alone in there with him?", a distrusting Naru asked as she entered the hallway.

"Because she is right behind me.", Motoko responded as the cook in question appeared at her side.

Naru said nothing; she just turned and headed to her room. Motoko however did take another note about her behaviour.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 21 morning at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

All the girls gathered around the table for breakfast as always, but as Keitaro entered the room he was surprised to see an empty seat beside Motoko and of her clearly signalling him to come and sit there by her side. On seeing Naru's expression as she sat on the opposite side of Motoko he gladly took the offered sitting.

"So are you going to protect that baka from now on no matter what perverted things he does?", Naru asked; but she had no intention to push matters as her hand was still throbbing with pain from yesterday's blow.

"I have no plans to allow him to get away with any inappropriate actions; I will be keeping a close eye on him.", Motoko said, "On the other-hand my oath requires me to protect him from anyone who tries to harm him when he is not guilty of doing anything wrong.".

Keitaro's mind was in a whirl, he could not decide if having Motoko protecting him was the best thing to happen to him or having her keeping a close eye on him meant he would end up being attacked again by the very same person who had put him in the hospital the first time.

Naru just muttered, "He is always doing something wrong and perverted.".

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 21 evening at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

Kitsune prepared to make her move. One sure-fire way to get out of paying rent was to get the rest of the girls in an up-roar with Keitaro appearing to be doing something risqué, now seemed to be the perfect time to instigate the operation to avoid the rent payment.

Keitaro was lying relaxed (half-asleep) on the couch in the main living room bathed with warm sunlight; as Kitsune approached him she quickly opened the top four buttons of her blouse, then leaning over him to the right positioning and …..

"Keitaro, stop it! Stop it!", she yelled out loudly enough to ensure all the girls around the dorm would hear her, "I only wanted to pay my rent, but not this way!", she continued just as Naru and Motoko burst into the room.

Meanwhile a confused Keitaro found he was struggling to breathe as his face was buried in Kitsune's chest; desperate to free himself he pushed up just as a blaze of light flood the room.

Motoko who was now satisfied that she had taken a good shot of the manager's misbehaviour moved forward to separate the two and then punish the pervert, but in the back of her mind a small thought tickled.

The look of confusion on his face tugged on that same thought a little more.

"Keitaro-san, you pervert!", an angry Naru was rushing in to hit the trapped ronin.

Motoko had different plans; twice she had not stopped attacks on the person in her charge, this time it would not get out of her control. First thing to do was to stop Naru's attack. Next was to drag Mitsune off the manager who was still lying in the couch pushing the house bum off him.

"Wait a minute! Off him!", Motoko thought, she now knew something was not right.

"Can't you see what is going on? He clearly wants her to pay for her rent by doing perverted things with him. He does not want her money, he wants her body.", a nearly foaming Naru yelled since Motoko was blocking her from hitting her target as she pulled Kitsune from the couch.

A small smile crossed Kitsune's lips, a smile Motoko clearly saw. Finally the thought jumped to the front of Motoko's mind.

"Mitsune-san, let's see this money you were going pay your rent with.", Motoko requested, only to see the look of panic that now crossed Kitsune's face.

"Well?", Motoko asked again, now fully aware that there was something fishy going on.

Kitsune quickly looked around for an escape route, there was none available. "Well, I don't have it on me, but when I went to talk to him about it he made a grab for me.", Kitsune quickly spun a tale hoping to divert attention away from herself.

"Grabbed? It looked more like he was pushing you away.", Motoko pointed out, "And where is this money then if you don't have it on you?", Motoko now had the thought coming crystal clear in her mind, the stare she gave Kitsune now was heading into the liquid helium range.

"Well, I don't exactly have it yet.", Kitsune tried to explain, only have Motoko switch her attention back to the manager who was now sitting up in the couch.

"How many months' rent does she own?", the presently temp rent collector asked.

"Including this month, five months total", the embarrassed manager rubbed the back of his head, "I did not want to get her into trouble by complaining too much. Besides you all were so busy attacking me at the time to listen to me anyway, so I just let it slide to avoid conflict.", he just had to point out.

"You really should had said something.", Naru interjected as she presently admitted to herself that she had been fooled by her best friend.

"How, when, where? When I was flying thru the air? When I had just been punch thru walls? Or when you just turned away without giving me a chance to talk and you just ran away?", Keitaro angrily said, so much anger in-fact that all the girls took a step back and Keitaro was so surprised at what he just said and it's tone that he clamped both hands over mouth expecting to be attacked at any moment.

"Take that back!", an angry Naru had once again found a focus for her swirl of emotions.

Only to be blocked by Motoko once again. An honour-bound warrior who just realized it was no random chance that she had ended up attacking the manager soon after paying her own rent to him each month.

"Are you going to stop his claims about being attacked by attacking him?", she said as she also pointy looked at the fist Naru was making.

Naru stood stock still, her face showed the war of emotions as she struggled to sort them out and explain why she wanted to act the way she did. In the end she lost to her own internal conflicts and ran off to her room to not admit her true feelings toward hapless manager.

Motoko turned her attention back to Kitsune.

"Well, it was just some harmless fun until my horse comes in on the fifth race today, and then I will have plenty of money for the rent. 18 to 1 odds and it's a sure thing. My bookie said so.", Kitsune promised. But not seeing the fault in the idea that a bookie would tell a person how to bet so that said bookie would lose money.

"So you had money, but you spent it betting on horses that never win!", Motoko said as she realize the full extent of how she had help this girl avoid her monetary duties for half a year. "You better win or face some major changes around here.", Motoko predicted.

Sitting down on the couch, she now turned to the manager who was still waiting for the attack.

"Keitaro-san, we have to talk.", Motoko began.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 21 night-time at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

Mitsune loudly and happily entered the hinata.

"I won, I won!", she gladly shouted as she waved a pair sake bottles in one hand, a sheaf of money in the other.

A gust of wind, and suddenly the hand with the money was empty.

Looking to her side she was not surprised to find Motoko counting off the bills, but she clearly was not just counting off the last month's rent.

"Hey, what are you doing? That is more than a month's rent you are counting off.", she complained.

"Yes, that's right! Did you think I forget all the other months you have not paid for? And to be safe I am taking out next month rent now as-well.", Motoko stated. "Want to try and start an incident with me to distract everyone about the rent now?", Motoko challenged Mistune as she handed back a far, far smaller sheaf of bills.

Mitsune knew better, she was no match for the young warrior. She just took the money and counted it as she headed back to her room. And this was so unfair, she was 'hot' and her bookie had given even a better tip on a horse with 31 to 1 odds. How could she lose!

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 22 breakfast at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

Like yesterday's meals Keitaro sat beside Motoko with the warrior-girl shielding him from Naru who now sat on her opposite side. The manager found he was a lot more comfortable with where he was sitting as an entire day had gone by without a single attack from the samurai-in-training. Naru on the other hand was different. Even though he was just lying around recovering in his room she kept on accusing him of doing things.

Motoko was mulling over the previous day's events: First after watching the smitten young cook hand feed the manager as he held two ice packs to his face she had turned and left the room just as Shinobu was feeding him the last spoonful, only have Naru accusing her leaving a helpless girl with a pervert. The fact that he need both hands to treat his facial bruises and that Shinobu appeared less than a minute later did not stop the warnings. Later she claim that she suspected that he was peeking at her thru the hole in his ceiling/her floor when she was not looking, but came up with lame excuses when Motoko suggested moving one of the heavier piece of furniture on top of the plywood covering the hole.

Naru at the same time was trying to hide her feelings of guilt and fear (even from herself). She knew Motoko's deadly attack was started from her first punch then crying out that the manager had injured her. At the hospital he had yelled out in fear when she fell on him. Shinobu feeding him a special dessert had filled her with jealousy and afterwards her Lido doll never moved on its plywood platform since he clearly never tried to peek or talk to her later that day. Was he going to avoid her for all that had happened or worse was he going to look for someone new? It did not help that she clearly had been ready to attack over something that was definitely Mistune's fault. Naru tried to catch Keitaro's attention but either Motoko block the line of sight or Keitaro had his attention firmly focused on the food in-front of him

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 22 morning at the Hinata-Sou right after breakfast:<strong>

A knock at the front door, and once again Shinobu answered it to find the nurse to change Keitaro's dressings had arrived. A male nurse! A very good looking male nurse!

"Hello.", he said, "I am here to see a Mr. Keitaro Urashima, I here to change his bandages and to check out how well he is recovering.", he said and then lifted/turned the kit in his right hand to show the medical symbol and hospital name on the side of the bag.

A blushing Shinobu let him enter, of-course this was just the time for Mitsune to arrive at the main hall as-well.

"Hello … there … good looking.", Kitsune instantly switched into her foxy mode (and I don't mean sly and cunning but rather sexy, sexy and sexy).

In turn the male nurse who was use to this kind of response from young women and he quickly made it clear he was all business.

"I am here to see Mr. Keitaro Urashima, take care of his health needs and get moving on, I have a number of clients to see today. Many who really need my help to make it thru the day.", he said quite pointedly.

"Could you please take me to him?", he asked with his attention clearly directed to Shinobu. The poor cook just blushed deeper and found her mouth would not form the words she wanted to say.

"I'll take you sugar.", an eager Kitsune latched onto his free left arm as she tried to calculate a longer route to the manager's room.

"Just walk straight ahead.", Shinobu finally got control of her emotions and her mouth just in time to unknowingly ruin Kitsune's half-formed plans.

It thus took less than a minute before the two of them were in-front of the proper doorway. A quick knock, a faintly heard "Come in", and the nurse entered the room.

* * *

><p>Kitsune hung back trying to think of what she should do next after the nurse left the manager's room.<p>

The nurse was shocked. He had been allowed to read the client's hospital history since the lead doctor had wanted him to look out for signs of abuse, and signs of abuse there were!

The client had not left the hospital with facial bruises, and the different colourization of the bruises told him that they were from two separate incidents. Quickly he approached the client on his futon and afterwards asking permission started to remove the bindings that held his ribs in proper position to heal. As he examined the client he found the ribs to be healing fine, but the break in the skin that had almost healed now had a new small tear where two of the tabs used to keep the wound closed had broken loose. Probably from the events that caused the facial damage the nurse correctly assumed.

As he worked, he also was taking notes on his observations; there was no way he was going to allow this to continue. Just as he was finishing up a commotion pulled his attention back to the door.

"A man, you just let a man walk in here to go where he pleases.", a loud voice yelled that just happened to be attached to a brown hair girl who was now framed by the doorway pointing a finger at him. "Who are you and what do you think you are doing entering an all-girls dorm?", Naru demanded.

"I am this man's nurse, and I am here to give him the regular medical attention he needs to heal properly. As for this being an all-girl's residence that does not matter to me; while on duty as a nurse I have no interest in the sex of the tenants of this lodging.", the nurse firmly declared but he was not prepared for what happened next.

"So you were spying on the dorm to sneak in at night when you are not on duty.", Naru declared as she march into Keitaro's room to confront the suspected pervert.

"What? How do you come up with an idea like that?", the nurse responded this time to a whole new different type of shock.

At this time Motoko arrived at the doorway just in time to see an angry Naru trying to punch the nurse in the stomach. The punch had little effect; the nurse had to make his living often picking up and moving people of various weights so he often worked out at the gym to insure he had the strength to avoid any back injuries. In other words it was like hitting a lightly padded wall.

"What was that for? I have done nothing to provoke any attacks.", the nurse said in a surprised voice from her action.

Naru was in a different type of shock. In the past she had her "Atomic Punch", and before that girls develop faster than boys in the early years and she had never met a young boy she could not out fight. This was her first time trying to hit a healthy adult male, it was not the same, in-fact she felt weak try to hit that wall of muscle.

"You are finished?", she asked.

The nurse just nodded his head.

"Then you can leave now. I will escort to the front door.", Naru stated while not being aware that she had just destroyed another of Mitsune's plans.

The nurse quickly gathered up his stuff and left for his car at the foot of the stairs. Once there he rapidly made notes on all that had happened while it was still fresh in his mind.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 22 late-afternoon at the local police station:<strong>

The same three detectives from twenty days ago were leafing thru all the latest reports from the hospital plus their own notes from the arrest they had made at the hinata back then.

"Is everyone here seeing the same pattern that I am?", the lead detective enquired of his subordinates.

"The attack at the dorm's manager, the attack at the hospital on the same person, and now the attack on the nurse all have one person in common.", one detective volunteered.

"Heck, even the girl we arrested back then said she only attack the poor guy because this same girl in all these reports told her that the manager was sexually harassing her.", the other detective added.

"Plus the notes record clear signs of further abuse of that same manager since he has returned to that dorm.", the lead detective pointed out, "Boys it was a good arrest the first time but I think it is clear to all who really needs to be in jail, the ring-leader, the master-mind behind all of these attacks: I want an arrest warrant for Naru Narusegawa on the charge of domestic abuse as soon as possible!".

The two other detectives hurried to get the paperwork done, and they were going to make sure there were no mistakes in said papers either.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 22 evening at the Hinata-Sou:<strong>

A knock at the front door, and once again Shinobu answered it to find a familiar trio of policemen at the door.

"Oh, I will go and get Motoko-san.", Shinobu offered as she felt nervous having them enter after what had happened with the male nurse.

"Don't bother, the person we want to see is Naru Narusegawa, we need talk to her right-a-way. Please take us to her now!", the head detective said.

In shock and not knowing what else to do Shinobu turned to lead the men to her room.

"What is going on?", a puzzled Keitaro followed by a wary Motoko appeared just before they could go up the stairs.

All three men were shocked to see the manager, his entire face was bruised. Now they were sure they were doing the right thing.

"We are here to collect the girl who has been the cause of all your injuries.", one detective said before Shinobu explain.

"I thought that all had been dealt with?", Keitaro questioned as he shifted his position to keep himself between Motoko and the three men.

Motoko herself was surprised as she realized he was maneuvering to protect her.

"What does he think he can do against three grown men?", she thought. Once again the young artist picture of her came to mind. "Well, I will not run, I will stay by his side if it comes to a fight.", she decided.

"Not her; Ms. Narusegawa is whom we are here to see.", the surprise reply froze Keitaro and Motoko in their tracks. The men then continued to follow Shinobu up the stairs. A numb Keitaro and Motoko followed them.

Once at the door of the girl they assumed was the cause of all the manager's problems, one of the detectives knocked and announced themselves.

"What do you want this time?", a very angry Naru slid open her door and then stood there glaring at the police, fists on her hips. To her surprise the two junior detectives quickly moved on both sides to smoothly grab her arms and then handcuff her before she knew what they were doing. In the mean-time the lead detective read her the charges and what rights she had.

Keitaro, Motoko and Shinobu also listened in stunned silence, in shock they did not put up any resistance as Naru was led away.

While she was feeling a little guiltily for thinking the way she was, Shinobu felt a small amount of satisfaction as she watched Naru being led out the front door.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Day 23 morning at the police station:<strong>

Lead detective Conan (and yes he was sick of the jokes made of his name) was a happy man. This latest arrest hit all the right bells. For the last year police headquarters had been pounding the local stations on the fact that in Japanese society that too often the authorities turned a blind eye to domestic abuse to keep the public peace and to save face for the family. It was a black mark that kept coming up internationally whenever Japan was compared to other western countries around the world.

Now he would be able to report to headquarters that not only had he arrested an abuser, but better yet a female abuser of a mild-mannered male. After-all, Equal Rights for one are Equal Rights for all.

"How is our latest detainee doing?", the lead detective asked his subordinates who had just returned from talking to the subject in question.

"Oh, she was raising a racket down there until we pointed out that we got her family details, and her parents would be arriving for her court hearing.", one detective said with a grin on his face.

"Then she started to cry, but we were not fooled. Not after seeing what was done to the manager at the dorm.", the other detective added.

In her jail cell Naru paced back and forth, slamming a fist into the palm of her other hand. (At-least she had learnt to avoid pain.)

"It's all that baka's fault.", she fumed to herself as she thought of the charges that had been laid against her. "I was not abusing him, I was punishing him for his actions", she declared to herself. Still she also had a memory of how the policemen kept glancing at Keitaro's bruises and how they clearly were suppressing their reactions to what they thought she had done.


	7. Bitter Gold Hearts

**Bitter Gold Hearts**

**Disclaimers:**

The title is really the property of Glen Cook.

All characters contained within this piece of writing belong to Ken Akamatsu, and this piece has been written purely for enjoyment. No gains financial or otherwise have been made through the publishing of this fanfic.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Author's Personal Note 2014:<span>**

Well, it has been a very busy year that took a bad turn. The last couple of months I have been dealing with the effects of having a major stroke. It was so bad that I lost my ability to walk, to shallow food and needed to be fed liquid food thru a tube that was installed into my stomach. I also had doubled vision for a while, so I could only use a computer if I kept one eye closed. Since then I have started to be able to eat food again and now I hope to start writing again.

**Author's Story Note 2014:**

The Japanese legal system is very messed up, once in the system it is usually very hard to get out. And yes, the police write your confession for you!

* * *

><p><strong><span>Prologue:<span>**

Motoko tries to prove Keitaro is a pervert. Mitsune's life continues down-hill. Mutsumi life continues up-hill.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Day 23 morning at the Hinata-Sou:<span>**

Around the breakfast table the remaining girls were filled in on what had happened earlier that day.

Su and Sarah assumed it would be like Motoko's stay in jail and that Naru would be back in a week or two.

Shinobu was confused of her feelings, she was sorry to see Naru (a person she looked up to as an older sister) being hauled off to jail, yet at the same time she felt relief that her beloved manager (whom she loved) would no longer be injured by her violent attacks. Shinobu was no fool, this was the time to try and get close to him without Naru's interference.

Kitsune interestingly was not concerned about Naru at the moment, her attention was elsewhere as she still had not paid the rent and Motoko was the one collecting it, plus she was short on money to play the horses and buy sake. The idea that she had enough money in the bank to pay the rent if she gave up her two favorite hobbies never crossed her mind.

Motoko after some thought decided it was for the best, "I want to prove he is a pervert to the elders, and having Naru clearly being willing to lie about him will throw doubts on any data that we collect together. Now I can get untainted proof of his actions, there can be no objections!", she mused. "I bet she will only be in jail for a week or two – not much more, so more than enough time for that baka to go back to his old habits.", she happily thought to herself.

Mutsumi held no grudge against Naru and was in-fact feeling concern about her going to jail. But like the other girls she saw this as a golden opportunity to get time with her Kei-kun.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Day 23 afternoon at the police station:<span>**

Naru looked at her parents thru the cell bars, it was obvious that they had dropped everything at home and had rushed to their daughter's defense.

"Darling, what happened, why are you here?", Naru's mother asked. Her father just stood sternly in the background.

"It's all that baka's fault.", Naru declared, already she had started to forget her feelings on seeing his injuries. "Just because he got injured a few times when I hit him when he deserved it they are claiming that I was abusing him.", she explained to the two worried parents.

"You hit him? Why would you hit him? And injury him too! What did he do wrong that you would do such a thing?", her mother pleaded in fear of her daughter's mental health.

"What is wrong with you, that is not how we raised you. Think of the family dishonor your arrest has caused us!", Naru's mother was almost having hysterics at the thought of her neighbourhoods' opinions if they ever found out about her daughter's arrest.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Day 23 late afternoon at the police station:<span>**

Lead detective Conan was in shock. For the first time in his life he wanted to disobey an order given by a superior, and this was not just any superior like the station captain seated in front of him … this was the chief of the entire city's police giving the order being relayed to him.

"Let her go! Why would we do that?", He exclaimed in surprise, even while getting a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"We got the right person, we got proof of the crimes, and give me 24 hours and I will have her signing the confession our department write-up.", he expounded.

The station chief looked back at his best detective in pity, "Politics.", is all he said.

"Politics! Politics is why you had me out there in the arresting this girl in the first place! Sir!", detective Conan was on the edge of exploding but the years of training as a Japanese and as a police officer held him under control.

"Politics.", the station chief repeated, "You were asked to arrest household abusers because of politics and now we are asked to let her go for the same reasons.", the chief explained.

"Why? Sir!", his training held him in respecting his boss in posture and tone, but still he had to ask.

"Because they expected us to arrest the usual suspects." "The drunk who beats his wife". "The mother who is too harsh with her children". "Those are the standards, they are found all over the world. Arrest someone like that and we prove Japan looks at domestic violence with as much distaste as all the other western countries.", started out his explanation and paused for effect.

Conan could feel his stomach sinking further; he already guessed what was coming next.

"But you end up arresting a teenage girl, a very cute looking one from the photos too.", the chief started back up as he looked at the mug-shots of the accused.

"Exactly the wrong image the higher ups want for Japan to be seen as. Imagine people getting the idea that young teenage girls in Japan regularly beat up the young men, and worse you have this as the second arrest from the same dorm.", the chief just shook his head before he continued his points.

"And this is a dorm full of girls with just one guy living there. To many men in western nations this sounds like a dream situation, if word were to get out we know the press will run with the story. It will be on the front pages of newspapers around the world by the following day. For the honor of Japan such a story must never get out. Let the girl go and bury all the paperwork you have done on her.", the station chief finished.

With a short bow, and an acknowledging "Hi!", a stoned-faced detective Conan went off to follow his orders regardless of his feelings towards the matter at hand.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Day 23 night-time at the Hinata-Sou:<span>**

There was a quiet and timid knock at the front door, still it was heard and Shinobu once again was the person to answer it. There stood a very subdued looking Naru and behind her both of her parents.


End file.
